MacBook Pro iphoto

[Hoggers]

If anyone out there uses a MacBook Pro and iphoto can they help me with this please?
How do I reduce the file size of the photographs I take? They usually start at 5mb and the only way I've found to reduce this to, say, 500kb is to crop right down. Is there another way as cropping seems to result in butterflies that look like they are couped up in boxes rather than out there in the fresh air!
I'm a complete beginner when it comes to both photography and computers so any advice gratefully received
Cheers
Hoggers

[Mark Colvin]

Hi Hoggers,

This is nice and easy but don't use iPhoto.

I use an iMac and Macbook Pro and edit my images in Preview which comes with the Mac. My procedure is as follows:

Firstly I save my image files in a folder on the desktop. If I've been out today for example I'll name the folder - Location X (4 September 2011). This allows me to remember where and when I took the images. If you then double click the image you want to edit it opens in Preview. From here you can easily crop, adjust the size or edit colour should you need to. Simply select TOOLS > ADJUST COLOR or ADJUST SIZE. I would suggest when editing the size of the image you also adjust the RESOLUTION by un-ticking the RESAMPLE IMAGE box, then change the RESOLUTION to 300 (this is what I do for submission to the web) and then tick the RESAMPLE IMAGE box. Once you have done this click on the arrow to the right of the FIT INTO : CUSTOM : PIXELS box and then choose the image size you want. I tend to use 1280 x 720 for images submitted to ukbutterflies. Don't forget to save the edited file with a different name to the original.

I hope this helps?

Good hunting.

Kind regards. Mark

[Hoggers]

Hi Mark that's very kind of you to help out - I will follow your advice and let you know.
Thanks again
Hoggers